Seam opener and turner for pants



Feb. 15, 1938; R. L. FULPS 2,108,372 I SEAM OPENER AND TURNER FOR PANTS Filed Sept. 2, 1937 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l ll llll Ewe L. FIZZ D3.

Feb. 15, 1938. L PS ,ms,372

SEAM OPENER AND TURNER FOR PANTS Filed se tfz, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFEQ 2,108,372 SEAM OPENER AND TURNER FOR PANTS Robert L. Fulps, Waco, Tex. Application September 2, 1937, Serial No. 162,217

7 Claim.

for opening and pressing the seams of a pair of pants turned inside out, and for turning the pants legs right side out after the seams have been opened and pressed.

In the manufacture of pants the projecting edges of the material at the seams, formed by sewing the pieces of material together, are at the outside of the garment in the process of making the same, and when the garment is completed, or in condition to be put on the market, these edges of the seams are located at the inner side of the garment. After the seams have been sewed in making up the garment it is customary to flatten out the contiguous edges of the material by ironing, and as the garment is 'wrong side out when the sewing is completed and the seams pressed it is turned right side out for the finishing operation of pressing the entire garment.

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide a machine which will facilitate the operation of pressing the seams of pants or trousers and turning the garment right side out,

' in the present instance the construction of the machine being'such as to provide for opening and pressing all the seams of the garment, with particular reference to the means by which the crotch seam can be conveniently pressed, in

3 association with the special formation of the arms or bucks on which the pants legs are pressed and which comprise the elements by which the garment is turned right side out.

A further object of my invention is to-provide a machine of this general character that in addition to providing the means for supporting the pants during the operations of pressing the seams and turning the pants legs also provides for furnishing the steam in pressing and includes a supporting arm for a steam conducting hose and electric cable extension to the pressing iron.

With these principal objects in View my invention consists of a base for supporting the different elements of the machine, a pair of spaced apart arms or bucks detachably connected to said base and adapted to receive the leg members of the pants or trousers, and an interposed block to receive the upper part of the pants, in conr nection with steam connections with the bucks and block, and an angle arm rising from the base to support certain accessories used in pressing the seams; all as hereinafter fully described and specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the center of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the supporting base of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the solid block interposed between the bucks.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the hollow block associated with the solid block.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the hollow block, and

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the pants leg supporting arms or bucks, with the head detached.

In carrying out my invention I provide a base in, preferably rectangular in shape for the purpose of supporting the different elements of the machine, and as this supporting base is intended to be mounted on a table ll (Fig. l), to locate the operative parts of the machine at the desired height from the floor, the weight of said base is sufficient to overbalance and support a pair of projecting arms or bucks, I2, I2, as well as other parts carried thereby. This base is in the form of a casting presenting a fiat top with depending marginal rims l3, l3, and including spaced apart sockets I4, M, on the under side thereof to receive the arms or bucks, the sockets being formed by depending webs, and the structure reinforced by additional webs, as shown in Fig. 4. For supporting the base rigidly on the table it is secured thereto by screws l5, passing through holes I6 at the corners and center.

The pair of arms or bucks l2, !2 are connected to the base by fitting the inner ends thereof in the aforementioned sockets, and secured in place by screws I1. These arms or bucks are hollow and preferably rectangular in cross section, and in the upper wall there are provided a longitudinal series of holes l8 through which steam passes to and through a covering or padding (not shown) usually employed in connection with apparatus of this kind. At the outer end of each arm or buck there is a triangular shaped head [9 having a socket in one of its sides to receive the outer end of the arm or buck for detachable connection thereto, these heads being commonly employed in apparatus of this kind for engaging the cuff of the pants legs in the operation of turning the garment inside out.

In the present instance I provide the machine or apparatus with means for opening and pressing the crotch and back seams of a pair of pants,

consisting of a solid block 20 cooperating with a hollow block 2|, said blocks being detachably interposed between the arms or bucks at the inner end thereof and are of a peculiar shape to facilitate the pressing of these seams. For this purpose the solid block has a V-shape recess at its outer end into which fits the corresponding inner end of the hollow block, and as will be noted by reference to the drawings the hollow block provides diverging members 21a, 2Ia extending to the bucks to correspond with the direction the inner seams of the pants legs assume in pressing the back seam of the waist portion of the pants. As will be obvious the bucks and blocks described provide for pressing the seams connecting the several pieces of material of which the garment is formed when placed thereon as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, it being understood that when the pieces are sewed together the garment is wrong side out, and that in placing the pair of pants in the position indicated the cuffs of the leg sections are at the inner sides of the triangular shaped headsso as to be engaged thereby in turning the garment right side out. 7

Suitable pipe connections for introducing steam into the bucks and hollow block are provided, including a supply pipe 22 leading to a pipe 23 extending between the bucks at the inner end thereof, with a branch pipe 24 communicating with the hollow block 2|, and in order to regulate the supply of steam there is a valve 25 in the pipe line operated by a treadle 25 and connecting rod 2?. The. connecting rod is extensible'for adjustment as to the height of the table on which the apparatus is mounted, and therefore is in two sections connected by a block 28.

For supporting a hose line 29 and electric cable 38, to be connected to the pressing iron (not shown) an angle arm 3i is mounted on the base to extend forwardly therefrom with the depending outer end of the arm provided with a flanged collar 32 having openings through which the hose and cable pass, suitable guide loops 33 being located on the arm for supporting said hose and cable. l

The operation of pressing or flattening the seams of a pair of pants, and subsequently turning the pants legs right side out, will be readily understood from the foregoing description, and it will be obvious that the particular construction of the apparatus will be effective in facilitating the operation of pressing the crotch and back seams of the garment. Furthermore, the construction of the apparatus is such that the several parts can be readily separated for transportation, as well as for replacement of any parts that may become unfitted for use, as for instance the bucks or blocks which are subjected to the greatest amount of wear.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for pressing or flattening the seams of a pair of pants andturning the garment right side out, comprising a supporting base, a pair of spaced apart arms projecting from one side thereof to receive the leg sections of the garment and having heads at their outer ends for turning the garment right side out after the seams are pressed, and a block interposed between the arms and having diverging members for convenience in pressing the crotch and back seams.

2. An apparatus for pressing or flattening the seams of a pair of pants and turning the garment right side out, comprising a supporting base, a pair of spaced apart hollow arms projecting from one side thereof to receive the leg sections of the garment and having heads at their outer ends for turning the garment right side out after the seams are pressed, and a hollow block interposed between the arms and having diverging members for convenience in pressing the crotch and back seams, said hollow arms and block having holes in the upper side thereof for discharging steam; together with pipe connections to the arms and block for supplying steam from a suitable source of supply.

3. An apparatus for pressing or flattening the seams of a pair of pants and turning the garment right side' out, comprising a supporting base, a pair of spaced apart hollow arms projecting from one side thereof to receive the leg sections of the garment and having heads at their outer ends to aid in turning the garment right side out after the seams are pressed, and a hollow block for pressing the crotch and back seam, said block being interposed between the arms or bucks and having diverging members extending to the arms or bucks for pressing the inner ends of the leg seams; together with means for admitting steam to the hollow arms and block.

4. An apparatus for pressing or flattening the seams of a pair of pants and turning the garment right side out, comprising a supporting base, a pair of spaced apart hollow'arms or bucks projecting from one side thereof to receive the leg sections of the garment and having heads at their outer ends to aid in turning the garment right side out after the seams are pressed, and a hollow block for pressingthe crotch and back seam, said block being interposed between the arms or bucks and having diverging members extending to the arms or bucks for pressing the inner ends of the leg seams; together with means for admitting steam to the hollow arms and block, and an angle arm rising from the base to support a steam hose and electric cable for connection with a pressing iron.

5. An apparatus for pressing or flattening the seams of a pair of pants and turning the garment right side out, comprising a supporting base having sockets in one side thereof, a pair of spaced apart hollow arms fitting in the sockets for detachable connection thereto and adapted to receive the leg sections of the pants; detachable heads on the outer ends of the arms to aid in turning the garment right side out, and a hollow block extending between the arms at the inner ends thereof and detachably connected to said arms, the hollow arms and block having holes in the upper sides thereof for steaming the garment operated on; together with means for admitting steam to the hollow arms and block.

6. An apparatus for pressing or flattening the seams of a pair of pants and turning the garment right side out, comprising a supporting base having sockets in one side thereof, a pair of spaced apart hollow arms fitting in the sockets for detachable connection thereto and adapted to receive the leg sections of the pants, detachable heads on the outer ends of the arms to aid in turning the garment right side out, and a hollow block extending between the arms at the inner ends thereof and detachably connected to said arms, the hollow arms and block having hoies in the upper sides thereof for steaming the garment operated on; together with steam pipe connections to the hollow arms and block, a valve for regulating the'adniission of steam to said arms inner ends thereof and detachably connected to said arms, the hollow arms and block having holes in the upper sides thereof for steaming the garment operated on; together with steam pipe connections to the hollow arms and block, a valve for regulating the admission of steam to said arms and block, a treadle connected to the valve for operating the same, and an angle arm rising from the base for supporting a hose pipe and electric cable for connection with a pressing iron. 10

ROBERT L. FULPS. 

